Influence

Revolving Door Chronicles: Skadden Hires Former DOJ Antitrust Chief

By Michael Catalini

In the latest installment of the Washington revolving door, the one-time head of the Justice Department's antitrust division who helped derail a merger between AT&T and T-Mobile has gone to work at the law firm that worked as outside counsel for Sprint Nextel, which lobbied hard against the corporate marriage.

Sprint opposed the merger, bringing a lawsuit against the deal, and now Sharis Pozen, who stepped down in April as an acting assistant attorney general, joined the antitrust and competition firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Skadden was retained by Sprint, according to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission.

Pozen saw Skadden firsthand while at the Justice Department, which, in part was why she decided to go to the firm after leaving.

"I've worked with Skadden throughout my career, and most recently was
impressed with the way its attorneys approached DOJ on a variety of
matters. After I left DOJ and learned more about Skadden, I was
convinced it was the right place for me," she said.